Hawking Expanse
The Hawking Black Hole Expanse was a location located within the Milky Way Galaxy that was known to be a home to no less than twelve black holes located in close proximity to one another. These black holes are noted to be in a bubble of approximately a hundred and twelve lightyears in rough diameter, and many of which are in a dormant state. It is not known how long the Expanse has existed, but current estimates place it as being roughly 27 million years old. The reason as to why the Expanse was not discovered was because of its location. The Expanse exists relatively above the galactic plane. From Earth, the Expanse would be headed up and away from the core. Gravitational lensing was the reason for discovery, as one drifting black hole managed to catch light from a star behind it and bend it around the event horizon, proving that a black hole existed. However, there was no indication that multiple black holes existed until two collided with one another, sending out massive gravitational waves that indicated that several were in a relatively small pocket of space. However, the location seemed odd as the Hawking Expanse is located in a somewhat star-starved location. These mysteries perplex scientists and may continue to do so for some time. The Expanse was first observed with scrutiny in the 22nd Century when unconfirmed reports of a black hole were discovered. It was confirmed that a black hole existed in the 23rd Century and in the 25th, multiple additional singularities were discovered. Objects within the Expanse are catalogued as HW followed by a number. Stars in this neighborhood are also catalogued by the HW archive in addition to whatever stellar classification system they are already under. It is considered a routine, if not punitive duty, for UNSC Navy officers to be given command of ships sent so study black holes in the area and how they interact with one another. New black holes are discovered occasionally in the area based on how they lens starlight. Being dormant, these black holes do not have accretion disks and do not shoot out matter at their poles. These monsters are practically invisible unless one is looking for them. Though no fatalities have been reported since the UNSC has sent ships to study the field, there is a lingering fear that an undiscovered black hole may drift close to a ship and swallow it whole. In addition to the black holes keeping naval personnel on edge, the lack of stars in the area in nearly all directions but towards the core, depression is one of the most common ailments reported by the crews of the ships sent. The Diagnostic Statistical Manual lists this abnormal state of mind as Void-Gazing, as stated, the state of mind where an individual observer of a space-faring vessel is unable to see sights primordially associated with a night sky (e.g. stars, galaxies, nebulae, moons), and lacking in these familiar sights, individuals develop acute behavioral responses such as depression, homesickness, and in some extreme cases, suicidal tendencies. Somatic responses of void-gazing involve paleness of skin, and clammy sweat. Individuals that gaze too long into the intergalactic void of space are advised to be shown familiar images of night skies. Because Humans are not designed to comprehend such a void, personnel are rotated out frequently, and those that do succumb to void-gaze are promptly returned to the Core Worlds and are given psychological leave. The fear of the black holes in the area and of the nothingness that is intergalactic space are oftentimes too much for a single person to bear. Some find the loneliness appealing in a nihilistic sort of way. Black holes located in this region of space are considered of 'normal' mass, meaning that they are perhaps only two or three times as massive as Sol, and none of them are considered close to being 'supermassive' like Sagittarius A* or the Great Annihilator, the central black hole in the galaxy and one of the heaviest in the galaxy respectively. Black holes located within the Hawking Expanse are thought not to rotate based on observations of photons around the event horizons. List of Appearances * The Children of Mobius (Mentioned Only) Category:Locations